


For the Love of Elsa

by WhiskersandQuiff



Category: Phandom/The Fantastic Foursome (YouTube RPF)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Soulmates, Christmas, Fluff, M/M, Soulmate-Identifying Marks, Soulmates
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-12-24
Updated: 2018-01-30
Packaged: 2019-02-19 11:28:07
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 5,735
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13122777
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/WhiskersandQuiff/pseuds/WhiskersandQuiff
Summary: Soulmates AU where the first words your soulmate says to you are on your arm. Phil works in a toy store and Dan comes in four days before Christmas when they bump into each other.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Merry Christmas!

Chaos. Absolute chaos, everywhere. 

Dan had been in the store for all of thirty seconds and already regretted ever entering. It was December 21st and everyone was last-minute shopping, including him. He forgot to get a present for his nephew and, upon realizing this, had scrambled over to the closest toy store to find the one toy that of COURSE his nephew just HAD to have: the Disney Frozen Elsa Play-A-Melody Gown doll. His nephew was completely obsessed with Frozen and wished he could actually be Elsa, which was unbelievably cute, if irritating when Dan had to find this very specific toy four days before Christmas. And it certainly didn’t help that Dan’s soulmate mark had been itchy in the last few days; as everyone knew, an itchy soulmate mark meant you would meet your soulmate soon, and the itchiness was making Dan very anxious. 

So there Dan stood, dodging crazy shoppers running around in a last-ditch effort to find the toys their kids so desperately needed, scratching his wrist incessantly, and trying to figure out where on earth to find this toy. 

 _Right, Dan. Just go in there, find the damn toy, and go home to some delicious hot chocolate and cookies because you’ll have earned it by then_ , he told himself. Taking in a deep breath, Dan charged, making his way to the “girls” section, as apparently it’s socially unacceptable for a boy to like Frozen. 

Aisle after aisle was packed solid with people and the shelves were emptying rapidly. Yelling could be heard from all directions and all kinds of people, from the customers demanding to know why a toy wasn’t on the shelves to the poor employees trying to explain that _I’m sorry, it’s a very popular toy and we’ve run out_ over all the other noise. Dan already had a headache, but powered through. 

Since he was taller than everyone else, he had a relatively easy time finally spotting the shelf he needed to get to. Of course, it was in the back corner of the store, just Dan’s luck, and he had to wade through the maniacs to get there. 

“Excuse me, sorry, I’m sorry, ouch, sorry,” he chanted. He was trying not to push too hard, since everyone else was shoving mercilessly, while also trying to make progress and not elbow anyone in the boob (unfortunately, it had happened before and was extremely unpleasant for everyone involved).

“Ouch! You pervert!” 

 _Shit, not again_ , Dan thought. “I’m sorry! It was an accident!” he called in the general direction of the voice. “Ow!” _Well, it’s good to know I used to have a foot. Is it still there, or will I look down to see the bloody pancaked remains of it?_

Finally, Dan made it to the back corner. Triumphant, he reached out to grab the Disney Frozen Elsa Play-A-Melody Gown doll. 

And that’s when everything began to happen at once.  

From his right, Dan heard a surprisingly loud and powerful female voice yell “MOVE!” and he promptly felt two startlingly strong hands shove him while he was midstep, causing him to lose his balance. 

“Shit!” yelled Dan, windmilling as best he could without hitting anyone. 

His windmilling was all for naught, however, as he was shoved again, directly into someone he hadn’t seen approach him from the left. They both lost their balance for good, then, and crashed to the floor. 

 _This is it, I’m going to die_ , thought Dan. _All for the sake of that Disney Frozen Elsa Play-A-Melody Gown doll. What a way to go._  

Despite the background noise, Dan managed to hear the low voice of the man he had fallen on top of. 

“Oh my god, are you okay?”

Dan felt his wrist burn as he responded but ignored the pain in favor of complete mortification. “I am so, so sorry.” 

He felt the man stiffen. “Wh- what did you just say?” 

Dan was too busy freaking out about being on the floor in the middle of the Christmas shopping rush in a toy store to pay attention to what he had said. “We need to get up, we’re gonna get trampled, oh my god.” He lifted his head and realized that he was entirely on top of the man. He willed himself not to blush; they really had to get off the floor. Turning his head to either side, Dan saw that most people were giving them a bit of room, so he scrambled to his feet and held out a hand to help the other man up. 

“Thanks.”

“No problem.”

“What did you say, a minute ago, though?” 

“What?”

“When you fell on me, you said something. What was it?” 

Dan noticed the man scratching his wrist and his eyes widened. “Uh- I think I apologized? Cuz I fell on you, and everything. What did you say befo-“

The man wrapped him in a bear hug. “I think you’re my soulmate. I asked if you were okay when we fell.” 

Dan gaped before returning the hug and burying his face in the man’s neck. “I’m Dan. It’s nice to meet you.”

“I’m Phil.”

They stood like that for a few more seconds before someone slammed into them, nearly knocking them over again. Dan reluctantly let go of Phil but was grinning wider than he ever had as he took in the appearance of his soulmate. Black hair, gorgeous blue eyes, and almost as tall as him, Dan blurt out, “Well, damn, you’re hot.”

Phil giggled, his tongue sticking out between his teeth, which he tried to cover with his hand (Dan most definitely was not swooning at that, not at all). “You’re not so bad, yourself,” he teased. 

Dan blushed dark red again. “Can I see your mark?”

Phil lifted his wrist, showing the words, “I am so, so sorry.” 

Dan showed Phil his, as well. “I think the secondary mark is coming in, too, but it’s still faint.” Everyone had the first words their soulmate said to them on their arms, of course, but, when they met, a new mark would appear somehow related to how they first met.

“I wonder what it’ll be,” Phil marveled aloud. 

“So do I, but we should probably, like, move somewhere so we don’t get knocked over again.” 

“Yeah, that’s a good plan. Did you need something in this corner, though?”

“What? What would I need- OH!” Dan spun around and grabbed the very last Disney Frozen Elsa Play-A-Melody Gown doll off the shelf and clutched it tightly in his arms.

Phil, who Dan now realized was wearing a uniform for the store, took Dan’s hand and began leading him towards the front of the store for checkout. 

“I’m signed on to a register in this corner that they usually reserve for members only, but nobody’s ever there because it’s really well hidden,” Phil explained. “I can quickly check you out in peace, this way.”

Dan snorted, then winked. “I’m pretty sure you’ll have the rest of our lives to check me out.”

Phil looked at him, confused for a moment, before what he actually said dawned on him. “Oh my god, I meant, like, take your money for the doll. That was so not what I wanted to say.” Phil was blushing furiously as Dan laughed. 

“You are so cute! The universe did well for me.” Dan playfully winked again and Phil groaned. 

“I’m just not gonna say anything anymore, I’ll just embarrass myself.”

Dan’s smirk relaxed into a soft smile. “That’s okay, we met because I literally fell on top of you. It looks like we’re in for a lifetime of embarrassing ourselves in front of each other.”

Phil scanned the doll’s barcode and put in his employee discount code. “I guess you have a point. That’ll be £11 for the doll.”

Dan had been pulling out his wallet but stopped and looked up at Phil again. “Only £11? That’s way cheaper than it should be, isn’t it?”

“Well, yeah, but I put in the employee discount. It applies to employees and their soulmates, so welcome to discount toys.”

Dan grinned again. “I’m liking you more with everything you say, Phil. Here,” he pulled out his phone. “Can I have your number?” He was a little nervous to be so abrupt about it, but he also knew that they were soulmates, so Phil would obviously do it. 

“Of course!” Phil smiled and put his number in Dan’s phone, then completed the checkout process. “Maybe later you can tell me why you’re here four days before Christmas trying to buy Frozen dolls and falling on top of strangers.”

Dan blushed. “Maybe, indeed. I’d like to point out that it was not my fault I fell on you, I was actually violently pushed, thank you very much.”

“Of course you were, Dan. Of course you were.” 

Dan rolled his eyes. “I wish I could stay and talk to you, but I have presents to wrap before I go home for Christmas. I’ll text you.”

“Good. Wish me luck before I return to the wolves,” Phil joked, moving back around from behind the counter. 

Dan took a step closer to Phil, leaned in, and slowly kissed him on the cheek, savoring the knowledge that this was his soulmate. “Good luck,” he whispered. 

Phil was blushing violently and biting his bottom lip when Dan pulled back. “Thanks.”

“Bye, Phil.”

“Bye, Dan.”

As Dan walked home, he eagerly looked down at his wrist again. Next to the words, “Oh my god, are you okay?” was now a small snowflake, just like from Frozen. Grinning like an idiot and shaking his head, Dan decided his nephew was getting some extra money for Christmas with his gift. After all, if it weren’t for him and his love of Elsa, Dan wouldn’t have met Phil.


	2. FaceMeeting the Family

Dan and Phil had been texting practically nonstop since they met. As soon as Dan had gotten home, he had texted Phil to establish contact, then began wrapping presents for his family. He only had a few hours before his train left for home, so he was grateful Phil was still at work. He would neatly tape the paper over a present and sigh dazedly, lost in a daydream of dark hair and vibrantly blue eyes, before continuing with his work.

Eventually, he was all packed and headed for the train station. While on the train, his phone buzzed with a text.

_Hi Dan :D I just got off work_

It was from Phil! Dan smiled stupidly at his phone, blushing dark red.

_**Hi :D I’m on the train home to visit family** _

_Well isn’t that exciting! Where are you from? I’ll be off to the north to see my family on Christmas Eve_

_**Wokingham. I’ll be there until New Year’s, but maybe we can meet up in the new year?** _

_****_

_****_

_Definitely_

_**Good. I already miss your face** _

_Dan quit making me blush!_

Conversation continued like that for the whole of the train ride and the taxi ride to his family home from the station.

_**I have to go now, sorry. I just got home.** _

_That’s fine. Have fun!_

Dan put away his phone and pulled his luggage out of the taxi before walking up to his parents’ house.

“Dan! Oh, darling, it’s so good to see you!” Dan’s mother called from the open door. “I heard someone pull up to the house and I thought ‘Oh, that has to be my little Danny!’”

Cringing internally at the nickname but smiling outwardly, he gave her a hug. “Hi, Mum. It’s good to see you, too. Is anybody else here yet?”

“Well, your father and I are here, of course, and your brother and his family are here, but more people will be coming closer to Christmas.” She reluctantly pulled away from the hug as she realized how cold it was on the front stoop. “Come in, now, wouldn’t want you to catch cold right before Christmas!”

After greeting the rest of his family and putting his luggage in his room, Dan let out a big sigh and sat on his bed. He couldn’t believe how much he already missed Phil. They had only met that day but he was already so entranced by the cute toy shop employee.

He was yanked from his thoughts by his nephew charging into the room and jumping on top of him.

“Uncle Dan! We’re gonna watch Frozen downstairs, come on! Elsa will be there! And Olaf! And Sven! And-“

“Alright, Eli, I’m coming!” Dan laughed. “But first, can I get a proper hug?”

Eli threw his arms around Dan’s neck in a big hug, his curly brown hair tickling Dan’s ear.

“Now can we go watch Frozen?” Eli whined.

“Of course. Let’s go!” Dan stood up, still holding the 6-year-old, and walked downstairs to where his family was gathered around the TV.

As the movie played, Dan watched his nieces and nephews sing along to all of the songs, even joining in with the rest of his family for “Let it Go”, much to Eli’s delight.

While Anna, Kristoff, Olaf, and Sven were rushing back to Arendelle to kiss Hans, Dan subtly checked his phone again to find that Phil had texted him a picture of a dog he had seen earlier that day. He grinned stupidly at his phone; Phil really was too cute.

He wasn’t as subtle as he thought, though, as his mum nudged his arm. “What’s got you all giddy?” she whispered.

Dan blushed at being found out. “Just some texts from- from a friend.” He didn’t know why he didn’t say soulmate. It would’ve been much easier to tell the truth and get it all out of the way, especially since someone might see his secondary mark at any time. He was kind of glad for it, though, as, this way, he’d be able to tell his whole extended family at once over Christmas.

Dan’s mum sent him a knowing look, clearly seeing right through his lie, but didn’t push it. “That’s great, dear. I’m glad you have a friend that makes you so happy.” She turned back to the movie and Dan typed out a quick response to Phil.

_**Omg it’s so fluffy** _

A few minutes later, he got a response.

_I know! I just wanted to hug it and never let go :’(_

_**I don’t think its owner would appreciate that, Phil. I’m glad you showed some restraint.** _

They continued texting, Dan occasionally looking up from his phone to make sure nobody wanted him to be more “present” with his family. All he ever saw were subtle, pleased glances from his mum, so they kept texting until the movie ended and everyone went to bed. Knowing his family would demand an early start for Christmas cleaning and decorating, Dan bade Phil a quick goodnight before heading off to sleep.

~~~~~~~~~~

The next few days went by in a blur of family time and trying not to text Phil constantly. They’d have their whole lives to talk to each other, so the least Dan could do was play with his nieces and nephews at Christmas. His brother, John, lived several hours by train from London, so his family of four kids didn’t really see Dan that often.

When Christmas Day finally rolled around, all of Dan’s extended family was finally in one place, for a grand total of Dan’s aunt and uncle, four grandparents, Dan’s other aunt, and too many cousins and first-cousins-once-removed to count. Dan was incredibly uncomfortable with all of the people in close proximity, but, while his family wasn’t always touchy-feely, it was still family and he missed them when he wasn’t with them. Plus, this meant he could tell them all at once about meeting his soulmate, although he decided to tell his mum in private first.

When she took a quick break from micromanaging the kitchen and table settings, Dan went up to her to ask for a word.

“Mum? Can I talk to you for a second? It won’t take long, promise.”

“Of course, Daniel. What is it?”

Dan opened his mouth to tell her, but quickly shut it when he realized some cousins were a little too close for privacy. “Um, let’s just- go over here, a bit.” He guided her down the hall a ways and pushed her into an empty room.

“Dan? What’s wrong? Why are we here?”

Dan shut the door and turned to face his mum but avoiding her gaze. “Well, I- I wanted to tell you before I told everybody, and I didn’t want to be overheard when I told you first, and it’s- well, it’s honestly a bit ridiculous, I know, but-“

“Sweetheart, it’s okay! What did you want to tell me?”

Dan swallowed the awkward lump in his throat and finally looked her in the eye. “I- well, I, um. I sort of- maybe- metmysoulmate?” he rushed out. He had no doubt that his family would accept that his soulmate was another man, he was just nervous because his mum was bound to be pissed when she found out it had been four days since he met Phil and he hadn’t told her yet.

“Dan, honey, you know I can never understand you when you mumble. Please, try again. What did you say?”

He took a steadying breath, then decided it’d be easiest to just show his secondary mark. He lifted his sleeve and displayed the mark. “I met my soulmate.”

His mum squealed and jumped on him in a bear hug. “Oh, my little Danny is all grown up! He’s found his soulmate! It still feels like only yesterday you were _this_ big and now look at you! Oh, my sweet boy!”

Dan blushed and groaned. “Muuuum, stop! You’re embarrassing!”

“You have to tell me everything! Who is it?”

“His name is Phil and I met him when I was getting Eli’s present. We’ve been texting ever since.”

She gasped. “Daniel James Howell, when did you meet this boy?”

Dan looked at the floor sheepishly. “Well... four days ago...”

“You mean to tell me that you’ve known your soulmate for four days and you didn’t tell your own mother?!”

“I’m sorry, I just wanted to tell everybody at once and Christmas seemed like the right day, especially because I can’t talk about meeting him without talking about Eli’s present. The mark even has to do with Eli’s present, I couldn’t ruin the surprise!”

“You didn’t tell me, though! I’m your mother and you didn’t tell me!”

“I mean, I did tell you before I told anybody else? I swear, in the last four days, I’ve only talked to family or Phil and I haven’t told anybody about him.”

His mum gasped again. “Phil was the friend you were texting, wasn’t he? I knew something was off but I figured you were just having a fling while you waited to meet your soulmate, I never expected you to keep it a secret from me!” She gave him a pointed glare on the last few words and Dan shrank away from her a bit.

“Sorry? I promise, if we ever get married, you’ll be the first to know about the engagement, immediately after it happens.”

“I had better be, Daniel. Now, what is this boy like?”

As his mum relaxed, Dan felt a goofy grin grow on his face. “He’s about as tall as I am, incredibly pale, and he has black hair. We’ve been talking almost nonstop, and we like all the same music and shows and everything. We never run out of things to say to each other, either. Honestly, Mum, he’s perfect.”

Dan’s mum cooed. “Awww, my little boy is falling in love with his soulmate! I’m so very happy for you, Daniel. Now, come here and give me another hug.”

Dan laughed lightly and accepted the hug from his mum. “I’m planning on telling everyone after presents, if you think that’s a good idea? I just want Eli to have opened his before I talk about it,” he said into her neck.

“Of course, dear, that’s a wonderful idea. We should be heading back out there, now, as I’m sure there’s plenty more work for me to do.”

Dan reluctantly released his mum from the hug and followed her back out. Luckily, it seemed as though nobody had heard her yell at him, or, if they had, they hadn’t caught the words.

As the day went on, Dan relaxed and found himself looking forward to telling his family about Phil. In fact, he had trouble not talking about him at every opportunity, anyway. He also realized how much he missed Phil already, which was ridiculous because they’d only met once four days ago. He had to put his phone in his room to try to forget about it and resist the urge to check it constantly, since he really did want to spend time with his family.

It was hard not to feel the absence of Phil, though, when his brother and his wife were so natural together, or his aunt would laugh and wipe a bit of sauce off her husband’s cheek with so much fondness it _hurt_ , or when his parents moved in tandem through the house to make sure everyone was well taken care of. Dan desperately wished he could talk to Phil, but he also knew that Phil was busy at home for Christmas and they should both try to be with family more than each other. 

After dinner, they had a huge present-opening party that went by in a blur of laughter, joy, and Christmas music. The highlight for Dan was the look on his brother’s face when he realized Dan had given his four excitable children bags of candy in addition to a toy each. 

“Candy! Candy! Candy!” the kids yelled.

John closed his eyes and took a deep breath in, letting it out as he opened his eyes and shot Dan a look that screamed _How could you now I will never get any sleep_. Dan snickered.

“It’s for a good reason, believe me. I’ll tell you why later,” he reassured. 

“Thank you, Uncle Dan!” The four small children all jumped into his lap to give him a hug for their presents. 

“You’re very welcome!” Dan laughed.

Although, maybe the real highlight was Eli’s reaction to his much-awaited, very special Disney Frozen Elsa Play-A-Melody Gown doll. He unwrapped the paper, saw what it was, and let out the cutest squeal Dan had ever heard.

“I got Elsa for Christmas! I got Elsa! I love Elsa!” Of course, Dan was not the only family member that got Eli an Elsa toy for Christmas, as noted by the stack of unwrapped Frozen merchandise in the corner of the room, but this one _sang_ , so, really, Dan was the winner of the Best Gift-Giver Prize this year. He also got another crushing hug, this time not as nice as he got kneed in the stomach by a hyper little boy, but just as good as the others.

Finally, after all the presents were unwrapped and all the kids were playing with their new toys, Dan decided it was time to share his good news. 

“Could I get everyone’s attention for a minute? I promise I’ll be quick,” he called out. He waited a moment as the room settled down. “I just- I have some exciting news. A few days ago, I met my soulmate.”

Immediately, the room exploded back into noise as Dan’s family reacted to this latest life event. Dan didn’t really know what he had been expecting, really, but this was a little louder than he thought his family had ever been. He could pick out a few words from a person here or there, but it was mostly lost in the chaos.

“Awww!”

“He’s all grown up now, I remember when he was-“ 

“Does this mean we have a new aunt or uncle?”

“What’re they like?”

“Where’d you two meet?”

“Are they pretty?”

“I remember meeting my soulmate-“

Dan shrank back a bit into the couch cushions at the influx of questions he could only sort of hear. He certainly wouldn’t be heard over the ruckus, anyway, so he tried to come up with a way to get them to quiet down again.

“Oi! One at a time, we all have the same questions! He can’t answer any of them if we act like a bunch of animals!” John yelled. Dan gave him a grateful nod.

“I didn’t really hear any of your questions, but I’m guessing you want to know the whole story-“ he began but was interrupted by a roar of excited “yes”es from his family. “Okay, okay!” Dan laughed. “Well, his name is Phil. He works at a toy store in London, which is where we met. I was out to get Christmas presents and accidentally fell on top of him when someone pushed me.”

“Of course that’s how you met him. Our clumsy Dan,” said his brother with a laugh. The rest of the family joined in the laughter, making Dan flush bright red.

“What’s he look like?” yelled one of his cousins over the laughter. The room fell silent again, eagerly awaiting his response.

“He’s almost as tall as I am, he has black hair and really pale skin. His eyes are this gorgeous blue and he’s got this absolutely adorable smile-“

“Gross, he’s already in love!” said another cousin.

Dan blushed again but didn’t refute the claim. “We’ve been texting constantly since we met. Except today, obviously.”

“Uncle Dan, Uncle Dan! If you met your soulmate, then what’s your secondary mark?” asked Emily, one of his nieces.

Dan rolled up his sleeve, displaying the words, “Oh my god, are you okay?” and the snowflake next to them.

“It’s a snowflake because I met Phil when I got Eli’s present,” Dan explained.

“Elsa!” Eli shouted elatedly. “Elsa gave you your soulmate, Uncle Dan!” In a softer tone filled with wonder, he added, “She really is magic.”

Everyone laughed, and Dan reached over to ruffle Eli’s hair. “Yes, she is, Eli. Yes, she is.”

“Can we meet Phil?” asked Dan’s other nephew, Christopher. 

“He’s with his family for Christmas, Chris, but I’m sure you’ll meet him someday.”

The kids all pouted at that. “We can’t meet him now?” 

Dan shook his head sadly. He wished they could, since that would mean Phil was with Dan, but it just couldn’t happen yet. 

“You have his number, right?” asked John. Dan nodded. “You could try FaceTiming him, maybe?”

Dan hadn’t thought of that, but it could work. “I could, couldn’t I? Although, I don’t want to interrupt his time with family…”

“I’m sure Phil’s family will want to meet you just as much as we want to meet him, sweetheart,” his mum chipped in.

“I guess that’s true. I’ll go get my phone and see if he’s available.” 

Dan walked to his room with excited nieces and nephews all on his heels, continuing to pester him with questions about Phil.

“Is he pretty?”

“Yes, he’s very pretty.”

“Do you like him?”

“Of course I like him! He’s my soulmate!”

“No, do you like like him!”

Dan blushed. “Yes, I do.”

“Ooooooh, Uncle Dan has a crush! I’m gonna tell him!”

“Does he like Elsa?!”

Dan snorted out a laugh. “Of course he does, buddy.”

They finally made it to his room and Dan grabbed his phone. He had three messages from Phil.

_Happy Christmas, Dan!_

__

__

_I miss you already. Is that weird?_

_My relatives all want to meet you O_o It’s too bad we’re hours apart_

Dan felt his cheeks heating up again and he accidentally let out a little giggle, forgetting his audience.

“Hey, why are your cheeks red?”

“What did he say?”

“Why did you laugh?”

“Uncle Dan has a cruuuuuush!”

_**My relatives want to meet you, too. They insisted I ask if you can FaceTime, but I understand if you don’t want to, since you’re with family and all.** _

_****_

_****_ ****

**_I miss you, too, by the way._ **

“What are you saying to him?”

“I asked if he can FaceTime now, but I don’t know if he will. He’s with family right now, guys.”

“Awwwwwww.”

Dan was about to reassure them that they’d get to meet him at some point when his phone started vibrating. He looked down to see that he was getting a call from Phil. He grinned as he accepted the call.

“What’s happening, Uncle Dan?”

“Did he call you?”

“Hi, Phil,” Dan giggled. He was practically giddy at the chance to see his soulmate again. 

“Hey, Dan!”

Dan’s nieces and nephews squealed. “Is that him?” they asked.

Dan laughed again, a loud, genuine laugh. “Yes, this is Phil.”

“Let me see! Let me see!”

“My nieces and nephews are begging me to let them meet you, Phil. I think they’re about to start jumping up to grab the phone out of my hand.”

Phil laughed, his tongue poking through his teeth the way that made Dan swoon. “Alright, let me see them, then.”

Dan sat on his bed and the kids all climbed on behind him to see the phone. “This is Phil. Phil, this is Eli, Chris, Carla, and Emily.”

“Hi, guys!” Phil waved. “Happy Christmas!”

“Happy Christmas!” they all said, and then everything descended into chaos again. 

“Are you gonna be our new uncle?”

“Do you have a pet turtle?”

“Can we see your secondary mark?”

“Do you like Elsa?!”

Phil laughed again at the bombardment. “Whoa, guys, slow down! Emily, I might be your new uncle someday, but I only met Dan a few days ago! We have to give it some time first. Carla, I do not have a pet turtle, or any pets, but I want a dog someday. My mark should be the same as Dan’s, Chris, but here’s mine.” Phil held his wrist up for the camera, showing off the snowflake and the words, “I am so, so sorry.” “And Eli, of course I like Elsa! She’s a fantastic queen and she’s very pretty.”

Chris gasped. “Does that mean you don’t think Uncle Dan is pretty? I thought soulmates were supposed to think they’re pretty!” He seemed to be on the brink of a crisis.

“Oh, no, I think your Uncle Dan is absolutely beautiful! You can find people that aren’t your soulmate pretty, Chris, you just think your soulmate is the prettiest of them all,” Phil explained. 

Dan blushed heavily at the compliment, which Emily noticed. 

“Uncle Phil! Uncle Dan has a crush on you! He thinks you’re pretty, too!”

“Alright, guys, that’s enough. Now let’s bring Phil back out so he can meet the rest of our family, okay?” Dan cut off the rest of that conversation as quickly as he could and stood up.

Phil was giggling with his hand over his mouth, a slight blush visible on his cheeks. “I think they like me.”

Dan rolled his eyes. “They definitely do. Are you gonna pass me around to the rest of your family so they can meet me, too?”

“Um, well… about that…”

Dan froze in his tracks, causing Carla to run into his legs and fall backwards into Emily. “What? Why are you looking at me like that?”

“Well… my family has AppleTV so we hooked my phone up to our television and everyone’s been seeing your face this whole time…” 

“What?! And you didn’t tell me?” Dan nearly dropped his phone in shock before realizing that he had to salvage his first impression to his future in-laws. “Um. Hi, everyone? Phil, why can’t I see them?”

“The camera is just on my phone, pointed at me right now.”

“Oh. Uh.” Dan kept walking, finally making it back to where the rest of his family was waiting. 

“Sorry I didn’t tell you sooner, Dan, I was just so excited and then your nieces and nephews were asking me questions and-“

“It’s okay, Phil, no harm done. Right?”

“Right.”

They spent the next several minutes passing phones around rooms, introducing all the relatives they could. It was especially entertaining to watch the mums meet their sons’ soulmates. 

“You must be Phil. Oh, Daniel, he just looks perfect for you! You have such a sweet face, dear, I know you’ll treat Dan right. Has he told you about the time when he was little-“ 

“Thank you, Mum, let’s not embarrass me more now than I already have been.”

Phil giggled and tried to send Dan’s mum a wink (it turned out as more of an awkward blink, which Dan found incredibly endearing). “You can tell me another time when he’s not here, I’m sure.”

Dan’s mum laughed at that and turned to Dan. “I like this one, you can keep him.”

Phil’s mum reacted much the same way, throwing in some assurances that she would be sending some goodies along for Phil to give to him when they saw each other next. She also insisted that Dan pass along his mum’s phone number so that they could get to know each other better.

The FaceTime call lasted longer than two hours because they kept getting interrupted by stories from relatives. At the end, Dan and Phil each brought their phones into a more private room to talk, ensuring that Phil’s was disconnected from the AppleTV. 

“Hi,” Phil giggled as soon as they were alone.

“Hi.” Dan grinned.

They sat in silence for a few minutes, just basking in their own quiet little world, away from the prying eyes and ears of their relatives.

Dan sighed contentedly. “Everyone over here loves you already.”

“Everyone loves you, too. Especially my mum. I think she was getting a bit paranoid that I hadn’t met my soulmate yet because my brother and cousins all have already. I didn’t mind waiting, though. Now that I know you, I also know it was well worth the wait.”

Dan blushed and looked away. “Thanks. You know, Emily was right about what she said, earlier.”

Phil gave him a puzzled look.

“I do think you’re pretty, and I’m fairly certain I have a crush on you.”

Phil grinned with a blush to match Dan’s. “And I was telling the truth when I said you’re absolutely beautiful. The prettiest of them all. You know, I’m fairly certain I have a crush on you, too.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I wrote this at the suggestion of a lovely anon. Thanks to my bro Live_Long_and_ExploreJC for help with the title

**Author's Note:**

> I also post to my Tumblr! See the rest of my fics [here](https://whiskersandquiff.tumblr.com/fics-masterlist)


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